Gervase Phinn: A Yorkshire nativity

12:3712:37Friday 17 December 2010

Of all the nativity plays I have seen the most memorable was performed in a small country school. The cast, children from largely farming backgrounds, had dispensed with the usual attire and had opted for simple modern dress. A large, fresh-faced girl with long flaxen hair and attired in black slacks and a white blouse stood at the side of the stage as two children, the boy dressed in jeans and denim jacket, the girl in a bright flowery dress, entered holding hands.

"And it came to pass," said the narrator, "that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, the Emperor in Rome, that all the world should be taxed and Joseph, the carpenter, took Mary, his wife, who was having a baby, from Galilee to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, in Judea from where his family came. They walked wearily along the hot and dusty road and into the town, which was crowded with people all there to be counted. Very soon Mary and Joseph, tired from their long journey, arrived at an inn."

A boy wearing a blue and white striped apron stepped on stage, his hands on his hips.

"There's a babby boy been booarn toneet, a reight special babby, who's liggin in a manger, wrapped up in swaddling bands, ovver in Bethle'em. God's own lad, Saviour o' World, Christ the Lord, the Messiah – and does thy know what?"

"What?" asked the first shepherd.

"'E's a reight bobby-dazzler, that's

what."

"Way, 'appen we berrer gu an' see 'im then, sithee," said the first shepherd.